New Year's Eve 2019

Let's take stock together, okay? Looking back, was it a basically good decade for you? Can you think back to all that went well?

For me, just being here today, knowing that my young families are thriving, having Ed by my side badgering me about the details of long term care, all this while the furnace hums, with delicious leftovers in the fridge, and waking up to a delicate snowfall  -- oh the list of good things is so long! -- leaves me feeling so very happy, and so very fortunate.

So what do we do in the next year? What resolves are good to put forth? Well, at the very least, people need to see that smile. From you, from me. If nothing else, we should be generous with handing it out. Cheap and easy. So why so often do we hold back?

And what else is on my list for the new year? Well, this past year, I stayed within my pensioner's budget, so that's good. I've eaten plenty of fruits, grains and veggies. All fine. I should move even more and I would love to write more, and read more, and be calmer than calm.

Isn't it wonderful to have the luxury of worrying about such small items in the scheme of things? I am very much aware of my good twist of fate.

And what would I like to see in the new year? For me, that's easy: more of the same I hope. Really, more of the same.


I thought about all this as I lingered over an afternoon cup of coffee at a coffee shop near my daughter's home.

The day had gone well: we had had snow and it is cold outside, but none of this was excessive -- not the cold nor snow. It's a pretty winter landscape!











Breakfast, late, even as the guy is barely awake...






Then I'm off to my mom's apartment and to the Rehab Center, where I go over with her steps that we will be taking in the weeks ahead. For the first time, she does not appear to be listless and indifferent (meaning hostile) to it. She listens and offers some input. All that is very very good.

And now the pause for coffee, with sunshine...






... and a change of venue: I go to my daughter's home to help them take down the tree and tidy up their place in preparation for that fresh start we all love to have on January 1st.

But hey, there is snow! While Sparrow naps, Snowdrop and her mom build a snowman. There isn't that much snow and what's there is powdery. Nonetheless, they are bravely moving forward with it.











... while the dad practices mixing cocktails for their evening celebrations. (The lune en miel from Ladurée is just exquisite!)






The wee snowman's done!






Sparrow is up!






Siblings, watching a Sesame Street clip together...






We do a lot of "cheers!"  and "happy new year's"...





... and then I return home to fix a New Year's Eve supper for Ed and me. With Prosecco. You don't need champagne to say "cheers" and "happy new year" and "I love you."


The moon shines brightly here, at the farmette. Does it for you as well? I hope so.





Happy, happy New Year! With love.